Anyone ever vacationed in South Dakota (Mount Rushmore area)??

[ChocolatePrincess]

We are thinking about taking a vacation to SD. I know there is lots to do. Where would you stay? What would you see? We are thinking about camping.

[Soph the vet]

We went to Mt. Rushmore area two years ago. My kids were 7,5, and 3 at the time. Lots to do and see. We stayed at a place called Back Roads Cabins (look online) we had our own little cabin. Mt. Rushmore is great during day but do the night lighting ceremony too! The best part was the Circle B Chuckwagon Dinner, the entertainment was quality (great guitar), very much family oriented, and the biscuit bandit was hilarious. There is also a world class woodcarver there. Driving the Needles highway you can see buffalo and donkeys that will eat out of your hand, bring carrots. The Cosmos is kind of strange but memorable. Look out for the guys with bull whips in downtown Keystone. There is a great playground, huge, in Rapid City near the river, not too far from the Norwegian church.
One of the best vacations we ever had!:D

[jacqui in mo]

There's also a steam engine in the area to ride. We got to camp for free in the Black Hills in Sept (but got to hear the logging trucks go right by us at 3:00 in the morning!

[Melody in IL]

I would see any of the national or state parks in the Black Hill. My favorites are Custer and Bear Butte, and I would definitely camp at Custer.
Go to see Mt. Rushmore. Then, Crazy Horse. In that order. Crazy Horse might dwarf Rushmore, otherwise. And, unless you're really into Indians, (and I am) I would just "visit" the parking lot at Crazy Horse. The museum there is nice, but not worth the money if your kids would be quickly bored by costumes and artifacts and.... I used to like Deadwood and Boot Hill, but Kevin Costner ruined it with casinos...

[Frankie]

There is a great playground, huge, in Rapid City near the river, not too far from the Norwegian church.
One of the best vacations we ever had!:D

The playground is Storybook Island. The Norwegian church is Stav Kirk, or also known as The Chapel in the Hills. (That's where I got married.)

Storybook Island is free and lots of fun for kids.

[Frankie]

Where would I stay? Ha! With relatives. We lived in Rapid City for 11 years and still have tons of family and friends back there.

I think I'd stay in a Rapid City motel, or else the Blue Bell cabins in Custer State Park.

Our favorite tourist attractions are:

Bear Country USA
Reptile Gardens
Mt. Rushmore (although we liked it better before they modernized it--just had to get that in!)
1880 Train (The steam engine Jacqui mentioned)
Custer State Park -- MUST SEE
The Cosmos


Wind Cave outside of Hot Springs
Mammouth Site in Hot Springs
Evans Plunge in Hot Springs -- warm water swimming pool, very expensive and it's getting run down, but we go because it's a tradition

Wall Drug, in Wall, South Dakota -- a huge tourist trap/store with stores within the store and free ice water

We have fun shopping in Keystone, the small town before you get to Mt. Rushmore.

I would never take my son to Deadwood. It's a gambling town, and kids are allowed inside, but he'd be bored stiff there. Before he was born, my husband and I did used to go up and play the nickle slot machines and had a lot of fun.

Just a warning about Bear Country. I took my son to visit his grandma last June. We usually hit one or two tourist attractions when we're home. He chose Bear Country that trip. It was mating season. The bears were mating every where we looked. However, Bear Country has always been a huge favorite for us, even before DS. They have a baby park where you walk, and watching those baby bears has always been one of my favorite things to do.

Have fun!

[Blue Hen]

In addition to what others suggested we really enjoyed the Badlands. Many folks just drive through but we camped there and stayed 3 full days. It was wonderful, we did some hikes (hike very early and take lots of water), and visited Wall Drug after our hikes for a great milkshake.

We also enjoyed/toured Wind Cave and Jewel Cave, and did both caves on the same day, had dinner, and got to Mt Rushmore in time to see the fireworks on July 3rd. What a DAY!! While in the Mt. Rushmore area we camped at either Jewel cave or Wind Cave --- one of them has a campground and reservations were not needed.

C

[imeverywoman]

Thanks for the great info!

[astrid]

You've GOT to see the Mammoth Site (http://www.mammothsite.com/default.htm)! We found it by accident and it was the highlight of our Connecticut-to California-and-back odyssey.

We LOVED it!

[Frankie]

In addition to what others suggested we really enjoyed the Badlands. Many folks just drive through but we camped there and stayed 3 full days. It was wonderful, we did some hikes (hike very early and take lots of water), and visited Wall Drug after our hikes for a great milkshake.

We also enjoyed/toured Wind Cave and Jewel Cave, and did both caves on the same day, had dinner, and got to Mt Rushmore in time to see the fireworks on July 3rd. What a DAY!! While in the Mt. Rushmore area we camped at either Jewel cave or Wind Cave --- one of them has a campground and reservations were not needed.

C

I always forget to recommend The Badlands. Every time I"ve gone there, I've had sneezing fits. The minute we drive in, it starts. I sneeze and have some reaction until the minute we drive out! Gorgeous, though!

[Frankie]

You've GOT to see the Mammoth Site (http://www.mammothsite.com/default.htm)! We found it by accident and it was the highlight of our Connecticut-to California-and-back odyssey.

We LOVED it!

Did you know they have a Junior Paleontologist program? You have to sign up way in advance, but they let the kids DIG. I really think my son would love to do this. Grandma lives close by, but we just always forget to sign up.

[astrid]

`

[mcconnellboys]

Yes, I LOVE Custer! Stay at Sylvan Lake,

Regena

[mcconnellboys]

I second Wall Drug, just for the quirkiness of it. There used to be a good, small Indian museum in Rapid City. I don't know if it's still there....

Regena

[mcconnellboys]

I also second the Bad Lands! Beautiful (I sneezed a lot, too, LOL).....

Regena

[Jill, OK]

Stav Kirk is one of my favorite SD memories.

How neat that you were married there!

[Tea 4 Three]

My friend owns and rents his cabin (http://www.tyburncrown.com/) near the Crazy Horse Memorial (http://www.crazyhorse.org/) -17 miles southwest of Mount Rushmore. We are planning to vacation there in May!

[Sugarfoot]

this trip for July! We did this 3 years ago, and had a great time. The kids have been asking to go back for awhile. We loved all of the "animal stuff," the Mammoth site was really neat, Crazy Horse had some sort of indescribable effect on me, Mt. Rushmore was beautiful, the Badlands are like some sort of geological anomaly:D. Someone told us about the alpine slide somewhere in the area. We'll try to add that. It's a fantastic family vacation!

[Susan in IL]

We did a family vacation there in 2002. Many places that have already been mentioned. Custer State Park, Mammoth Site, Wind Cave, Deadwood, Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Badlands, Wall Drug. The kids were 14 and 9 at the time. They loved it and still talk about it.

Have fun.